Chapter 3
Steve was relieved that he actually had a job today. A shop a few blocks from their run-down apartment had asked Steve to paint a sign for them, and Steve eagerly said yes. It had been a while since he had any real job, after his last falling ill, and he didn't care what it paid as long as it did. He was going to get a dollar and that was just great for him and Bucky.
When he finished and went and picked up a few groceries, they had been running low on food to begin with. He was happy that he still had seventy-five cents to put in their little coffee jar of savings. They always tucked any extra money away, just in case. Normally it was for medicine for the blonde, and Steve hated how dependent he could be at times. But, he and Bucky were used to the co-dependency now.
Steve walked into the shared space and put the food away in their small ice-box and whatever else in the pantry. He went and took another shower to get the paint off of his hands before their date tonight. He didn't see why Bucky had to do this. He was always trying to set Steve up with a girl. Bucky knew the short blonde was God-awful at talking to women. He could barely hold a conversation with one without getting red in the cheeks. Yet the brunette always tried whether it was Mary, Betty, Sally, Jane, Maria, Sue, and now Jenny. As he got dressed he looked at himself in the grimy mirror hanging on the shared bathroom wall. He had the sinking feeling that tonight was going to be like every other 'date'.
Now, don't get him wrong, Steve liked women. He always did. The soft curves of a woman's body made his blood heat up. He could never have it though. His doctor told him that he would never be able to have sex with women, or ever have children. He accepted that bitter fact with grit teeth. He was going to have to live a life of abstinence and die a virgin. It was not what the blonde wanted. He didn't even want to tempt himself with kissing a dame, so he never tried on these date-nights.
Another secret that Steve had come to live with? He also caught himself looking at fellas. Well, really one particular fella that he just so happened to live with and spend most of his life with. He would never tell Bucky though, for fear of losing the only good thing that had ever happened to him. It feels like he was always dealt the shit cards when it came to life, but Bucky? Bucky was Steve's ace in the hole. He was always there when he needed him, and even when he didn't want him there.
Steve sighed softly and fixed his hair, his fringe hanging in his eyes a little no matter what he tried. He grabbed his supplies and went back to the apartment to draw while he waited for Bucky to get home from the docks.
By the time Bucky got home he barely said a 'hello' to the blonde before he was off to shower and get ready for the date. Steve had noticed that women didn't like when you took them out still smelling like sweat and work. He chuckled softly and shoved a quarter in his pocket from the jar and waited for Bucky to get ready. The brunette came back looking sharp as ever, and Steve internally chided himself for looking as long as he did.
"Are you ready now, Princess?" He jibbed, grabbing his house keys. He was rewarded with a chuckle from the older man.
"Yeah, c'mon. We have some pretty dames lookin' to dance with us." Bucky said and ruffled Steve's hair up. The blonde huffed in mock irritation and tried to fix his hair with his fingers.
A/N: Hi guys! I'm back with a new obsession. Stucky has stolen my life and I hope you are enjoying my little story. Please review and let me know what you think.